Rotating seesaw



Oct. 22, 1963 Filed Aug. 16, 1961 C. ROUSE ROTATING SEESAW INVENTOR CALVIN ROUSE A ORNEY United States Patent 3,107,913 RQTATHNG SEEAW Calvin Reuse, 87-26 166th St, Jamaica, N51. Filed Aug. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 131,895

1 Claim. (Cl. 2723il) This invention relates to a rotating seesaw and particularly to a novel simplified structure which is portable, easily assembled and provides a stable support.

Seesaws which are capable of rotation by means of the leg action of children seated thereon, have been used in the past. The up and down pivotal motion of the usual seesaw about a transverse horizontal axis is supplemented by providing a swivel joint which permits an added degree of freedom in a circular path about a vertical axis. The children sit at opposite ends of a longitudinal balanced support and bend their knees to push down against the ground in a jumping motion to cause the vertical movement, while pushing sideways to gain the added rotational swing. The combination of the two motions permits the attainment of a wide variance of positions or attitudes. These previous devices however, have generally been constructed of bulky materials such as wooden planks or wide, heavy metallic plates which were difiicult to maneuver and to carry to different locations. The pivotal joints were similarly cumbersome. In addition their center supports were concentrated on small base areas which did not provide suificient stability.

It is therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a simplified and light weight rotary seesaw and joint construction which may easily be assembled and which provides a firm rugged support.

The instant device utilizes a novel sectionalized metal tubular structure which is easily put together by means of a few nuts and bolts. The main frame comprises a central tube bolted to several wide spread L-shaped tubular legs, while the seat supports and handles are similarly constructed of single tubes, the seat supports and central post are connected together in a simple triangularly shaped pivot and joint assembly.

The detailed description and accompanying drawings which follow consider the invention in a particular configuration. It is to be understood that this represents but one embodiment chosen for the purpose of explanation and illustration and is not to be construed as defining the limits of the instant invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire novel rotary seesaw assembly.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the joint structure.

As shown in FIG. 1 a center tubular post is bolted between vertical portions of four symmetrically spaced wide spread detachable tubular supports or legs 12, with the horizontal portions resting upon the ground or floor area. Two balanced longitudinal tubular seat supports 14 extended horizontally from the center. Seats 16 are bolted to their respective ends of supports 14. T-shaped vertical handles 18 are secured to the seat supports within convenient arms length of children who may be seated at each end. The handles are preferably swaged or necked down at the lower ends to fit into corresponding holes in the horizontal support members and are internally threaded to accommodate bolts from the underside of the members. The horizontal portion 20 of the handles may be welded to the upright portions and rubber grips 22 provide added protection.

As shown in FIG. 2 the seat support tubes are bent upward toward the center post 10 to fit into a triangularly shaped joint 24, along the two sides thereof. The tubes ddfi'ifii 3 Patented Get. 22, E963 are secured to the joint by pairs of bolts 26 mounted through plates 28. Post 10 is swaged to fit easily into an upper swivel tube 30 which is pivotally secured on a central bolt or pin 32 between the plates. Thus, the seat and joint are permitted to pivot in the vertical plane about pin 32, While being supported by post 10. The rotary motion in the horizontal plane is provided by the action of swivel tube 36 and an inner disk or hearing 34 which rests and turns upon the top of the stationary center post. The weight of the entire seesaw is therefore balanced about the point 32 and is supported by plate 34 on post 10 to facilitate the pivotal and rotary movements. The combination of the two motions permits the seesaw to swing up and down and around in any desired manner depending upon the force and direction of the leg motions applied by the users.

It may thus be seen that the instant invention provides a novel simple metallic tubular construction for a rotary seesaw that is highly stable and easily carried and assembled. While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, it is apparent that the device is not limited to the exact form or use indicated and that many other variations may be made in the instant design and configuration without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A rotating seesaw comprising a base support structure, a tubular vertically mounted center post secured to said base, a joint supported on said center post, said joint comprising a vertically mounted swivel tube fitting over and rotatably engaging said center post, a pair of plates enclosing said swivel tube and means pivotally securing said plates to said tube to permit movement of said plates in a vertical plane about said pivot means, a pair of symmetrical tubular seat supports extending horizontally in opposite directions from said joint, one end of each said support being secured between said plates and being adapted to move therewith, said joint and seat supports being rotatable about said center post, said seat supports having seats detachably mounted at the other ends thereof and having handles mounted thereon toward said center post within arms reach of said seats, said base support comprising a plurality of L-shaped brackets having vertical leg portions which are detachably secured to the center post and having horizontal foot portions which are adapted to rest on the ground, said means for pivotally securing said side plates to said swivel tube comprising a horizontally extending pin which passes through said plates and said swivel tube and is secured to said plates, said swivel tube having an internal bearing plate which rests upon and rotatably engages said center post, said side plates being generally triangular in shape, the base of the triangle being normally horizontal, the side edges of said triangle extending upwardly from said base and inclined toward each other, and said seat supports comprising a normally horizontal portion on which the seats are mounted and an upwardly bent and angularly inclined end portion disposed between said side plates adjacent their respective side edges, said angularly inclined end portions of said seat supports being detachably bolted to said side plates.

References fiited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,619,325 Anderson Mar. 1, 1927 2,488,889 Allie Nov. 22, 1949 2,835,491 Meyers May 20, 1958 

